Abs Workouts That Will Produce Real Results

By Sheila Loper


Finding workout routines that help you build your abdominal muscles can be quite a chore. You may have to search the Internet and bookstore magazines for weeks. If you really want to do the right types of exercises, choosing your overall fitness goals should be taken very seriously.

If the only abs machine you ever use was the Captain's Chair, you could still see great results. There's nothing exotic about this machine, as it's a mainstay at every fitness center. Doing a leg raise on the Captain's Chair can be a great foundational exercise for your abs workout. You start out by standing on the Captain's Chair, gripping the handholds comfortably. Raise your knees towards your chest, keeping your back supported by the pad. The slower and steadier the motion, the more you'll get out of this exercise. In a similarly steady motion, the legs come down; try to do ten repetitions and work your way up to three sets. Be careful to maintain control and proper form at all times, and your back should be straight but not arched.

An exercise or Swiss ball can help you get more out of your abs workouts, and these aren't hard to find. You've certainly seen these exercise balls at the gym, and they're easy to buy as well. They can make many of your abs workouts more efficient, and they're also great for stretching. If you purchase an exercise ball, there will usually be a chart indicating which size to get based on your weight and height. The best abs exercise you can do with an exercise ball is a simple crunch. You begin by lying back with the lower part of your back resting on the exercise ball, with your arms crossed over your chest. You probably won't be able to do as many crunches on an exercise ball as on the ground, at least at first. A great exercise for your stomach, the basic crunch can really build your abdominal muscles quickly and efficiently. Put your hands behind your head, and then lie face up on the floor. The motion simply involves lifting the shoulder blades off the floor towards your chest. Your legs need to be steady while in motion doing this. A variation on this is the reverse crunch, which places more emphasis on the rectus abdominis muscle, which is the lower part of the abdominal region. This exercise requires you to lift your knees toward your chest. They should be at a 90? angle. Both your shoulders and hips should lift together. Reverse crunches, and regular ones, can build your abdominal muscles very nicely. When you do these exercises, understand that doing more of them is not better. You will not achieve better results by doing excessive amounts.

There are a few essential abs exercises that are always worth doing, and the plank is one of these. This exercise is good for your back as well as abdominal muscles. This is an exercise you can do on the floor, an exercise mat or an exercise ball, starting in a face-down position. You then bring your body up so that it's parallel to the ground, resting on your arms and toes. Try to stay relaxed as you hold the position for 10, 30 or even 60 seconds before coming down. Don't worry if you can't hold the position long at first, just keep working at it.

One exercise you shouldn't overlook for your abs is the plank. This is a strength building exercise for your whole core and is one well worth doing. This is an exercise you can do on the floor, an exercise mat or an exercise ball, starting in a face-down position. Raise your body up onto your toes and elbows, keeping your back and rear end flat. Try to stay relaxed as you hold the position for 10, 30 or even 60 seconds before coming down. If you can only stay up for a few seconds at first, that's fine as you'll quickly build up your endurance. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed by all the different systems and theories regarding abs workouts. To have the abs you want, you have to maintain a healthy weight, so make sure you follow a balanced and complete fitness program. Doing a few good basic abs exercises such as planks, crunches and the bicycle will do a lot for your abs, as long as you also have good eating habits.




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